Combined body-brace and truss.



PATENTED' DEC. 29, 1903,

S. R. SHEPARD. COMBINED BODY BRAGE AND TRUSS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 21, 1903-.

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UNITED STATES Patented December 29, 1903.

PAT NT OFFICE.

COMBINED BODY-BRACE AND TRUSS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 748,426, dated December 29, 1903.

Application filed May 21,1903.

.To ail whom it may concern/.5

Be it known that I, STEPHEN RAND SHEP- ARD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and Improved Combined Body-Brace and Truss, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to combined bodybraces and trusses; and it consists, substantially, in the construction, organization, and combinations of parts hereinafter particularly described and claimed.

One of the principal objects of my invention is to provide means adapted to bereadily applied to the human body for' the purpose of strengthening and supporting the back and spine and also the chest and shoulders, as well as to provide meanswhereby the abdominal region may be held or sustained in position with comparative comfort and ease.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the character referred to which is simple in construction and effective and reliable in use, being also comparatively cheap to manufacture, besides possessing the capacity for long and repeated service.

The above and additional objects are attained by means substantially such as are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a rear perspective view of a representation of the human form in seated position and showing the manner in which the rear elements or parts of my improved device are applied to the lower portion of the back of the wearer thereof. Fig. 2 is afront view of a representation of the human form in standing position and showing the manner in which the elements or parts of my improved device at the front are applied to the shoulders and across the chest of the wearer,

" and Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of my improved device as it appears when removed from the body of thewearer thereof.

Before proceeding with a more detailed description it may be stated that in the form of my improvements herein shown I preferably employ a pad of any suitable material parts of the abdomen.

Serial No.158.119. (No modeD' adapted to fit the lower part of the back at or near the base of the spine, and fitted to said pad and leading therefrom in opposite directions are substantially duplicate curved members of elastic material adapted to pass around the waist portions of the wearer, said members being of special construction and provided atthe forward ends thereof with means for bearing or pressing inwardly upon Likewise attached to said pad and also leading therefrom in opposite forward and upward directions are other substantially duplicate members of elastic material,said members being also of special construction and having means at the forward ends thereof for pressing inwardly upon the shoulders of the wearer, and whilev I have herein represented my improvements in a certain preferred form or embodiment it will be understood, of course, that I am not limited to the precise details thereof in practice, since immaterial changes therein may be resorted to coming within the scope of my invention.

Specific reference being bad to the drawings by the designating characters marked thereon, 1 representsa pad substantially rectangular in form (although the same may be of any preferred shape) and preferably of leather or other suitable flexible material, said pad having applied to the outer surface thereof, preferably by stitching 2, a plate 3, the latter being preferably provided near its edges all around with suitable openings for the passage therethrough of said stitching. Secured to said plate by means of rivets 4 tare the inner ends or extremities of elastic duplicate chest and shoulder-brace members 5 5, which lead from the plate in opposite directions, and after crossing the back portions of the'body of the wearer at 6 6 said members extend upwardly over the outer parts of the breasts at 7 7, thence to a point opposite to or substantially in line with the shoulders, the ends or extremities of these members being-each provided with a leather or other suitable flexible pad 8, pressing inwardly against the shoulders, thus tending to hold the upper part of the body of the wearer in erect natural position. As a means tending also to brace the upper part of the chest of the wearer I preferably connect the upper ends of the said elastic members by means of a flexible strip 9, which lies against the chest under the desired tension and is formed with openings 10 near each end, by which the same may be fitted to buttons 11 therefor secured to said members, as shown. It may be stated that the members in question are preferably constructed of strips of spring-steel to. which the desired shape is imparted in the manufacture of the device, the members maintaining said shape, so as to conform as nearly as possible to the shape of the parts around which they are passed in the use of the device. By means of the said connecting flexible strip 9 I mayjoin the upper extremities of said members 5 5 nearer together or farther apart, as may be required in use either for the better comfort of the wearer or to hold the parts 8 at the proper positions relatively to the shoulders, it being apparent that the elastic character of said members readily permits of this. Also secured to said plate 3 in any suitable way, as by means of rivets 12, are the inner ends or extremities of duplicate elastic or spring-steel members 13, each adapted at 14 to fit against one side of the lower part of the back of the wearer, whence each member extends forwardly around the corresponding side of the waist portion of. the wearer, the two said members terminating forwardly at opposite points of the abdomen, (see Fig. 2,) and the end or extremity of each member being formed or provided with a flexible pad 15, pressing against the abdomen, as shown. The abdominal regions will thus be firmly supported or held in place, as is apparent, and due to the elastic nature of each of the members of my device referred to the device may be worn with comfort, while yet being effective in bracing or supporting the back and spine, as well as the chest, shoulders, and abdomen, in the manner described, with the result that tendencies to abnormal stooping or bending of the body may be overcome, as will be understood.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A combined body-brace and truss, comprising a pad adapted to fit against the lower part of the back of the wearer, duplicate members connected to said pad,for passing around the sides of the waist portions of the wearer, said members being provided with pads at their forward ends for pressing against the abdomen; means also connected to said pad for pressing against the shoulders of the wearer from the front of the body, and a flexible connection attached to said means for extending across the chest of the wearer.

2. A combined body-brace and truss, comprising a flexible pad adapted to fit against the lower part of the back of the wearer, duplicate elastic members connected to said pad for passing around the sides of the body of the wearer, thence extending upwardly against the front of the body to points opposite the shoulders, said members being provided at their upper ends with flexible pads, and a flexible strip adj ustably connecting such ends; other duplicate elastic members also connected to the pad first named, for passing around the sides of the waistportions of the wearer, said last-named members being provided at their forward ends with flexible pads for hearing against the abdomen;

and a flexible connection adjustably connecting the free ends of said first-named members.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

STEPHEN RAND SHEPARD.

Witnesses:

W. F. MCKINLEY, W. A. EVANS. 

